Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 9: ‘World Hospice and Palliative Care Day’ was celebrated today at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar (Jammu).
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. Theme for this year was “Leave no one behind-Equity in access to Palliative Care”.
The Day was celebrated at Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar under the supervision of Director Health Services Jammu Dr Renu Sharma. A symposium was conducted in the Hospital for the awareness of public regarding the need of Palliative Care, which was attended by doctors, paramedics and attendants of the patients visiting the Hospital for treatment.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Indra Bhatyal, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital laid emphasis on the role of Palliative Care in terminally ill patients while Dr Rohit Lahori (Incharge, Pain and Palliative Care) focused on the need of educating the public for utilizing these services of health care. Dr Supriya gave a detailed lecture on the different modalities to handle the cancer pains.
In GMC Jammu, the Day was celebrated by organizing a CME on Pallative Care by Regional Cancer Centre Jammu, Department of Anaesthesia & ICU and Department of Pharmacology. Dr Ashish Gullia (Surgical Oncologist, Tata Memorial Centre Mumbai) was the chief guest. In his address, Dr Gullia maintained that dedicated services, creating trained human resource and training of doctors in Palliative Care is need of hour.
Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma (Principal GMC Jammu) gave inaugural address. Dr Ashutosh Gupta (Head, Regional Cancer Centre) delivered a lecture on principles of Palliative Care, Dr Shabnam Choudhary (Professor Pharmacology) delivered a lecture on management of pain by oral agents while Lotika Khajuria (Drug Controller, J&K) deliberated on regulatory issues and guidelines, and making OPIOIDS available in Jammu. Dr Manu Arora (Associate Professor Psychiatry) spoke on psychological aspects of Palliative Care.
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